James W. Anderson discusses dietary fiber in the article Physiological and Metabolic Effects of Dietary Fiber, Federation Proc. 44: 2902-2906; 1985. Therein he traces the history of the health benefits of vegetable fiber or bulk back to the recognition of the same by William Beaumont 130 years ago. Suggested therein is the fact that the high incidence of colon cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes, obesity, hypertension and certain other diseases amongst Western people relate to their low intake of dietary fiber. It is also mentioned that clinical and physiological studies indicate that fiber affects gastrointestinal function and glucose homeostasis, as well as serum lipid levels. Plant fibers are defined in this article as the non-starch polysaccharide and lignin portions, predominantly cell wall components of plant foods that are not digested in the human small intestine. Dietary fibers are said to include fibers which may include cutins, waxes and other non-digestible cell wall and coating materials. It is furthermore noted that among the physiological effects of pectin or guar, which are highly purified, water soluble fibers, is the delay of gastric emptying. Further stated is the conclusion that the effects of commonly used high fiber foods on gastric emptying are not well-established. It is further pointed out that cellulose and hemi-cellulose include the physiological effects of increasing fecal bulk and the decreasing of intestinal transit time. It is also indicated that pectins and gums delay gastric emptying, slow glucose absorption and lower serum cholesterol. Reference is furthermore made in this article to the fact that oat bran may lower serum cholesterol in human subjects.
In the article, the Digestion of Pectin in the Human Gut and Its Effect on Calcium Absorption and Large Bowel Function, J. Nutr. (1979) 41, 477, J. H. Cummings, et al. report their study on the effect of dietary fiber digestion in the human gut on its ability to alter bowel habit and report that pectin is largely metabolized in the human gut which could explain its lack of effect on bowel habit and Ca balance.
In the Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine, 180, 132-446 (1985), George V. Vahouny and Marie M. Cassidy report on dietary fibers and the absorption of nutrients. Therein it is stated that the intestinal absorption of nutrients can be influenced by modifying the rates at which food enters and leaves the stomach. It is stated that high fiber, bulkier foods may require longer periods for ingestion and thereby modify the rates of gastric filling.
None of these articles relate to the interaction between different types of fiber sources and/or brans and the like and the use of the same in conjunction with other substances which absorb water and form gelatinous bulks and viscous coatings.